I do not own these characters
Gaara giggled, it wasn't so much funny, as it was amusing.
"What are you giggling over Gaara?," Splinter asked, as he sat next to the eight seven year old red head.
"Bugs," Gaara simply said.
Splinter looked down at the ground, to see one of Gaara's sand spheres, with a bunch of different bugs crawling through it.
"I can feel them move in the sand," Gaar explained, "It feels wierd, but not bad. The bugs aren't punching through, as moving the sand aside. Like someone combing my hair"
"Ah I see," Splinter said with a smile, "and how has Shukaku been treating you"
At this Gaara sighed, "He still won't let me sleep, but he has stopped telling me to kill you, Naruto, and Sasuke"
This made Splinter think for a bit, smiling subconciously as he heard Gaara giggle some more. The rat patted the boy on the back, before getting up and walking to where Naruto was. The blonde was sitting infront of the fire gazing into it, this might not have been unusual, except it was Naruto. The young blonde was normaly so full of energy, and always acting out, which reminded him of someone else who wore orange.
"Naruto," Splinter said getting the young one's attention, "you ok"
Naruto looked up ath Splinter, and shrugged. He learned a couple months ago, he didn't have to always act hyper or dumb infront of Splinter and the others.
"Kyuubi, and I were talking," the blonde admitted, "He is going through his 'I'm sorry for what happened to you' litany"
Splinter did a quick calculation in his head, and sighed. He reached over and hugged Naruto.
"I'm sorry," the rat said, "I forgot didn't I"
"It's ok," Naruto smiled a little, "it's not like you could have got me something anyway"
The blonde leaned against Splinter, feeling the comforting weight of his teacher, as the rat draped an arm about Naruto.
"Yes," Splinter nodded, "but it is still not nice to forget." He looked down at the blonde, "So what color shall it be"
Naruto giggled, as he said, "Sky blue"
The rat felt his eyes twitch, "And for how long"
"The rest of the day," the blonde kid said with even more giggles, "That was from Kyuubi"
Splinter nodded and performed some hand seals...
Sasuke looked up and snorted a little, "Forgot about something"
Splinter smiled, "No, but this made him happy"
"The color really suits you sensei," Sasuke chuckled, as he looked at the rat with sky blue fur.
"Indeed," Splinter said with a smile, that was until he sat down and gave Sasuke a serious look, "How are things with you"
"Raiju," Sasuke said with a sigh, "keeps whispering about adhereing to honor. He keeps telling me to revenge my clan, stuff like that"
"Have you explained to him that you need to get stronger to beat your brother?," Splinter asked.
Sasuke nodded, then sighed. "He says it's to make sure I don't forget." He seemed to think about something, "But I am troubled sensai"
"What about my student?," the rat asked calmly.
"Naruto," Sasuke said in a sigh, "He is getting depressed again"
"And you think it's more than his birthday?," Splinter questioned.
Sasuke nodded, then remained silent for a bit. He looked down at some of the clothing he was folding. He started to fold the clothes, as he thought about his new family. Splinter watched Sasuke, not wanting to interrupt the child's thinking. Instead he waited patiently, and he didn't have to wait long.
"You know about the festival, right?," Sasuke asked, at Splinter's nod he continued, "It was shortly after I turned five that I was allowed to go. When I went with my father and brother, I was having fun. I saw this blonde kid roaming around, looking kind of scared. I walked over to him, to ask what was wrong, but was stopped by Itachi. He simply said to not to approach the blonde on this day. I was about to ask why, when I saw it, Naruto's eyes widened in so much fear, and he ran." He blinked as he felts his eyes sting a bit. "I then saw a bunch of men running after him. Then my brother ran after them, telling me to stay behind"
"But you didn't," Splinter said interrupting.
Sasuke smiled sadly, "I got there shortly after Itachi scared off the villagers." He took a deep breath, then he hit the pile of clothes he was working on, "They beat him, not enough to break any bones, but he had bruises and cuts. I... I walked over slowly, I saw... I saw the cuts were healing"
Splinter nodded, but kept silent as he knew there was more.
"I kneeled beside Naruto," Sasuke said, "Itachi, didn't try to stop me. I picked up Naruto's hand as he regained conciousness." Sasuke swallowed and looked at Splinter. "I told him he wasn't alone, as I had a demon to. Itachi became distant after that, and soon after the massacre happened. What was worse was after, Naruto..." Sasuke looked down.
"I said that it's my fault," Naruto said as he entered the tent that they used, "If I would not have been there, I would not have got hurt, Sasuke would not have come over, and then his brother might not have found out his brother had a demon in him"
Sasuke looked over at Naruto, and smiled "It wasn't your fault. If he were any kind of brother, he would have understood"
"It still has to hurt," Gaara said as he walked into the tent as well. He walked over and hugged Sasuke as did Naruto.
"It did," Sasuke said but he looked at Naruto again, "And it's not your fault"
Naruto smiled and shrugged, "Feels like it though. I mean you lost a family"
"And gained another," the raven headed boy said.
"We all did," Gaara said.
"Yes, we all did," Splinter said agreeing.
The rat slowly stood, and looked down at the three infront of him. He sighed, as he realized that they had to grow up so quickly. He came to a thought, and smiled a kind smile.
"No training today," Splinter said, "I want you three to go out and just have fun, but you will have to watch the camp. I need to go into town for somethings. I will be gone a few hours"
Sasuke nodded, as did Gaara, Naruto thought for a moment before nodding himself.
"If there is trouble, you are to hide, like I taught you," the rat said further.
All three nodded again, before smiling and heading out of the tent to play.
Sarutobi sighed, "This is... this... this is EVIL"
Kakashi chuckled, along with Iruka, as papers were suddenly scattered about.
"Ah the ever elusive enemy," Kakashi said as he bent over to pick up the papers.
"Paperwork," Iruka chimed in also chuckling, but suddenly stopping, "Hokage-sama"
"What is it Iruka?," Sarutobi asked, noticing the slight note of distress in Iruka's voice, as the ninja slowly rose to standing position.
Kakashi blinked as he noticed it was a brown scroll, which on it's covering, had the kanji for 'Nezumi.
"How?," the sharigan bearer started to ask.
"It's a couple days old," Sarutobi explained, "He could have dropped it here at anytime"
Sarutobi, opened the scroll, looked at it for a few seconds, before smiling. He started to read aloud...
"Today, is October the tenth," Kazekage began to read for Temari, and Kankuro, "and Naruto's birthday. He thinks I forgot, so now my fur is sky blue for the rest of the day. However I had a surprise for him. It's amazing seeing these childrens' faces light up when something like this occurs"
Temari giggled.
The kage smiled at her for a bit, before returning to the scroll.
"These children train hard," Sarutobi continued, "Sometimes it's easy to forget that they still need to be children. I almost made that mistake with my students before, but I knew, and still know better"
He unrolled some of the scroll before he continued to read.
"It was during these hard training sessions, that I had surprised my charges, including Naruto, who was my target," Sarutobi said with a chuckle, "Oh my," the hokage broke out into laughter, "What I did, shall be forever known as 'It seemed like such a good idea at the time.'"
"It's during the birthdays of the boys, as well as holidays that each get one present," Kazekage continued, "After Sasuke, which each boy got a storage scroll, and some new throwing weapons, that Naruto had already said what he wanted for his birthday. He stated and I quote, 'I want us to each have an animal representing are tenants.' So, I showed up at camp, laid out three scrolls that were summon basis, and used them. Gaara got a racoon kit, Sasuke a tiger cub, and Naruto got a fox kit"
"How could that be so bad?," Kankuro asked.
"Well you may be asking yourself, how is this so bad?," the kage of sand said holding up a finger, "First these are kids that we are talking about."
"Second," Sarutobi said chuckling, "None of these children had so much a pet goldfish as they were growing up. Third, when you are dealing with said children, guess who gets stuck with training them as to where to 'go' and not 'go"
By now Iruka, was sitting in the chair holding his sides, laughing so hard.
"Also guess who cleans up after the messes?," Sarutobi said with a smile, "But it is worth it. Seeing them sleep, or in Gaara's case, just relax while petting their new friend, brings a smile to my face. However the children, all understand these animals are to be trained as their partners, as much as their tenants are their partners. Thankfully they all understand, and are eager to learn how that can be possible. I can only hope it keeps through."
Splinter smiled as he woke up, he heard the gentle yapping of Kyu, as the fox and Naruto played. He heard Tasa's gentle purring, as she and Sasuke were still sleeping, next to him. The tiger was curled up, with the Uchiha boy curled around her. Gaara, was petting Tan, while the racoon batted at his own tail. Splinter smiled more as he began to sit up, the sunlight streamed into the tent, showing the sun had completely risen.
"Ah, I hope I continue to have good days like this," the rat said to himself.
Each child here respectively is seven years old now.